Quick-tips for coping with stress
Now that you have identified and categorized your stressors, you may find that one or
more just are not going to go away in the near future. Below are ten things you can do
on your own to help reduce the effects of stress:
| Stress Coping Mechanism |
Benefits |
This is one I would do |
| 1. Relaxation techniques —
yoga, meditation, deep breathing |
Different techniques help to bring
down heart rate and improve focus. | |
| 2. Exercise |
Exercise has been clinically proven
to be one of the best stress relievers
and preventors. | |
|---|
| 3. Reduce or eliminate
caffeine, alcohol and tobacco |
All three put a strain on your body,
making it more difficult for your body
to cope with stress! | |
|---|
| 4. Take a time management course |
Knowing how to manage time better I
can help you identify and attend to
priorities and thereby reduce some
of the stressors. | |
|---|
| 5. Get plenty of sleep and rest |
Like exercise, our bodies use sleep
and rest to become stronger and
therefore cope better with stress. | |
|---|
| 6. Acknowledge and
celebrate your personal
successes |
Stress can often leave us feeling
inadequate. By taking stock of
recent accomplishments, we can
reacquaint ourselves with our
strengths. | |
|---|
| 7. Schedule time to talk to a
friend or family member |
Trusted friends and family have a
way of shedding new light on a
problem and helping us identify
coping mechanisms. | |
| 8. Escape |
Removing yourself mentally and
physically from the source of stress
can allow you to come back to it
with renewed energy and new
strategies for managing the
stressors. | |
| 9. Schedule time for things
you enjoy (gardening,
hobbies, recreation) |
Making time for those things that
give pleasure helps put the rest of
our lives in perspective. | |
|---|
| 10. Seek out humour — friends,
movies, books |
Laughing is one of the best
medicines for managing stress. | |
|---|
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